As a fan of mathematics I always get pissed off when I see something that I consider false advertising. This is the typical beef we buy from Trader Joes and it has all of the things I look for in beef, namely no (or low) hormones and grass-fed. I did some research on what "no added hormones" means and found out that the USDA requires the lifespan of the cow to be 95%-100% hormone free. Typically farmers will use GH in the last stage of the cows life to make it bigger and sell for a higher price. I have no issue with the way this beef is labeled when it comes to GH. A 95% hormone free lifespan is infinitely better than what is found at the typical factory farm which uses GH on the cow from birth to slaughter. I also prefer grass fed beef simply because I do my best to not eat grains or animals that eat grains I do not eat grains because they cause systemic inflammation in the body. The cholesterol in foods is attracted to this inflammation caused by too many carbs, which is what really causes arteriosclerosis. Cholesterol is only "bad" for you when you combine it with the typical refined flours and starches almost all americans eat. If you minimize the carbs, no inflammation. No inflammation and you can safely eat foods with fat in it and your body will use the fat as energy instead of sticking to the inside of your veins.
The issue I have with this label is the 85% lean, 15% fat part of it. I do not think the average consumer understands what these numbers mean. On the surface it looks good right? 15% fat sounds low does it not? If you read deeper into the label and apply a little bit of math and an understanding of basic nutrition you will see the truth.
There are 240 total calories in a serving of this beef. If you read the label you will see that 150 calories of this meat are derived from fat. I am not a math genius by any stretch but I do not think 150 is 15% of 240, is it? Of course it is not, the truth is that it is 62.5% fat! The manufacturers get away with this garbage by telling the consumer the percentage of fat in the meat BY WEIGHT, not by calories. I am also not a nutrition genius but I do know that fat has 9 calories per gram as opposed to the 4 calories per gram protein has. Fat is more calorie dense. A pound of fat is much more calorie dense than a pound of protein. We are being lied to in a very sly way on these labels! They are technically telling the truth, but unless you understand the above basic ideas you will think you are eating something "lowfat".
Why do manufactures do this? It is easy to figure out. To make more money! Would a typical 'health-conscious' person be interested in this beef if it was labeled "37.5% lean, 62.5% fat"! No way! We have been trained to think that fat is the enemy in order to get us to eat more of the cheaper, low-nutrition foods that fill the supermarket shelves, namely cheap carbs! What do you think there is more profit in, easy to grow grains or meat? Meat involves taking care of a live animal from birth to death and I would imagine the cost of this way eclipses the cost of growing genetically modified grains. Clearly the money is in the carbs! Is protein addicting? No fucking way! Carbs are addicting, just like any other drug. How hard would it be for you to put down that bread and eat a good piece of meat with a huge bowl of greens instead? The system wants you hooked on easy to grow carbs!
Here's the kicker. It really does not matter to me how much fat is in this meat. I eat fat and fucking love it! I used this label because the difference between fat% by weight and calories was so drastic. Fat is the perfect form of energy, way better than carbohydrates! You can do your own research on this. I have a few blog posts on my Runyon Canyon Bootcamp page you may want to check out. I do not believe in the old-science school of nutrition that says animal fats and cholesterol are bad for you. The most recent evidence says that it is the combination of carbs and fats that causes the problems that people have today.
Hopefully I didnt get too far off track because this post was supposed to be all about truth-in-advertising. I hope this helps you better understand your food labels and the reason why you are being lied to. My favorite place for food, Trader Joes, is not truly at fault for this and I still support them.. It is really not TJ's fault, they are caught up in the bullshit low-fat system like everybody else.
Make smart choices.; Think like a scientist and mathematician when it comes to food!
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